Archive forSeptember, 2014

Paolo del Vecchio, MSW, is the Director of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)’s Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS). SAMHSA is the lead Federal agency designed to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities.

In this role, Mr. del Vecchio provides executive leadership for Federal efforts to improve the nation’s mental health service systems. This includes management of the federal/state mental health block grant program and directing a range of programs and activities that address topics such as suicide prevention, children’s mental health, homelessness, disaster mental health, HIV/AIDS, and others.

Previously, Mr. del Vecchio was the CMHS Associate Director for Consumer Affairs where he directed SAMHSA’s precedent-setting programs and activities that advanced consumer participation and education, a recovery orientation for the mental health system, peer support and the adoption of certified peer specialists, wellness and primary care integration, understanding of trauma histories and the social determinants of health and mental health, and led programs to reduce discrimination and prejudice associated with mental illnesses.

Prior to joining SAMHSA, Paolo worked for the Philadelphia Office of Mental Health in the areas of policy formulation and the planning of a comprehensive system of community-based mental health services addressing homelessness, HIV/AIDS, and many other issues.

A self-identified mental health consumer, trauma survivor, and person in recovery from addictions, Paolo has been involved for over 40 years in behavioral health as a consumer, family member, provider, advocate, and policy maker. He graduated summa cum laude with a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Temple University, has published widely, and is a highly sought after national leader and speaker. Paolo has been a leader in many Federal efforts including the Federal Advisory Planning Board for the Surgeon General’s Report on Mental Health, the HHS Multiple Chronic Conditions Initiative, the HHS Living Community Initiative and numerous others.

The healthcare environment is undergoing massive changes, and there is a growing recognition that the future of behavioral health services will belong more in an integrated healthcare environment. How do behavioral health crisis services fit tothe future of healthcare?

In this session, we have two sets of speakers. The first set will provide a perspective on behavioral health and behavioral health crisis services from a general health viewpoint. This series of presentations will include a detailed description of a “crisis-prepared community”, i.e., ideally, one in which crises are prevented before they occur, and how behavioral health crisis services fit tin this model; a description of clinical and community interventions necessary to foster wellness and disease prevention to enhance the resilience of those who reside in a crisis-prepared community; and a description of an operational integrated care system that incorporates public health and clinical interventions to promote and support persons who may be at risk of experiencing a behavioral health crisis.

The second set of speakers is comprised of leaders of managed behavioral healthcare organizations. They will offer their perspectives on the changing environment and how they are preparing for it, both in broad terms but also in terms of how they see behavioral health crisis systems changing to fit into this new world.

Both sets of speakers address the following questions: What are they doing to prepare for the delivery of behavioral healthcare in an integrated care environment? What are they doing to build behavioral health crisis services in the healthcare system of the future?

The primary message of this session is that behavioral health crises are not just the responsibility of the behavioral health system. It takes a village. The question addressed in this session: How does one create this village? And, as importantly, how does one sustain this village?

In other words: What is the role of community partners e.g. community health, law enforcement, schools in the crisis response system? What are good models of community collaboratives? What works? What doesn’t? What are lessons learned from community collaborative experiences? How are these best sustained?

This session comprises presentations by speakers about their attempts to answer these questions in different parts of the country. Once again, these presentations will be the platform for the discussion and dialogue that follows.

There are many peer-run and peer-operated alternatives to psychiatric hospitalization. This session will provide an overview of these peer approaches, including peer-run respite, warm lines, and wellness centers. Presentations will include outcomes and lessons learned at Afiya House, a peer-run respite program in Massachusetts that provides balance and support to turn what is often referred to as a “crisis” into an opportunity for learning and growth. A special focus is how recovery and resilience principles are incorporated into these models. Presenters will discuss financing strategies, options for peer training, and the role of peer approaches in a comprehensive crisis service system.

Many people in crisis are survivors of trauma, including violence, disasters, and other events or circumstances that are experienced as harmful or threatening. Research shows that trauma affects the developing brain and body and can alter the person’s natural mechanism for responding to stress. In this training session, presenters will describe the ways in which trauma shapes behavior and explore concrete strategies to implement trauma-informed practices that can improve – and maybe even prevent – crisis response.

A new paradigm is needed in all human services, and we must challenge our most basic assumptions about “how things are done.” Leah Harris, trauma survivor and NCTIC trainer, will share the assumptions of trauma-informed care and discuss how these approaches can effect a necessary revolution in the way we understand and respond to people in distress and crisis.

This session is a logical follow-up to the morning session, with a focus on implementation of innovation and change in behavioral health crisis systems. The morning session focused on: What is happening? What is needed?What are future prospects? This session focuses more on: How to do it?

This session provides detailed, in-depth descriptions of how some nationally recognized, cutting edge behavioral health crisis systems have been developed over time. The session focuses on opportunities in the environment, community partners, financing, collaboration across different levels and sectors of government, and the role of data, information systems and evaluation. The expectation is that these presentations will be the basis for lively discussion and dialogue with conference attendees.

A person experiencing a behavioral health crisis is often wrongly seen as a person who is a danger to self or others. Therefore, the response to such a person is often inappropriate involvement with law enforcement and hospitalization. The question is: What should happen?

In this session, the speakers address this question from a broad, national perspective, providing an overview of current realities and promising innovative practices. This session provides a description of possible guidelines and standards for a continuum of crisis services so that they are both trauma-informed and recovery-oriented. Information related to models for transforming and financing crisis systems to move in this direction will also be covered.

Most people who receive public mental health and addictions services are survivors of trauma, including violence, disasters, and other events or circumstances that are experienced as harmful or threatening. Research shows that these events can have lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being. This pre-conference training will:

Introduce participants to the core concepts and values of trauma-informed culture change.

Describe ways in which trauma-informed approaches can be implemented in a range of service settings, including mental health inpatient, residential, and outpatient settings; addiction treatment facilities; justice settings including police interventions, courtrooms, and jails and prisons; schools and juvenile justice facilities; homeless services, and primary care settings.

Identify expected outcomes of trauma-informed approaches, including reduced use of crisis and other emergency behavioral health services, prevention of seclusion and restraint, and increased engagement in services.

Dr. Goldman has been with ValueOptions, the nation’s largest independent Behavioral Health and Wellness Company, since 1994. Dr. Goldman leads ValueOptions’ National Government Relations Group, with a focus on engaging state leaders on solutions to address the challenges of the public behavioral health system. Previously, he lead ValueOptions sales and development team for the Public Sector Division. His responsibilities include developing strategic positions to support collaborations with state governments and the development of new innovations and programs.

Dr. Goldman has been the company liaison to the Democratic and Republican Governors Association for most of these years. He has participated in numerous policy panels and engagements with state leaders. He previously was Vice President for Strategic Planning for ValueOptions, with a focus new business development within the Public sector division.

Dr. Goldman brings a unique background to ValueOptions. He is a board certified endodontist, international lecturer, and researcher in a career spanning twenty years prior to joining Options Healthcare (the precursor to ValueOptions) in 1994.